Speed Reading Mindset

Relax – Take a few deep breaths, calm down, and clear your mind. You are not  going into a fully fledged meditation, just a few seconds where you can mentally prepare for some seriously fun reading. To get the most out of your reading experience you want it to be as stress free as possible. Think about how you learn better when you are relaxed and how confident you are in your speed reading ability.

Get Comfortable – Who said reading has to feel like work? Speed Readers should be relaxed, but not too relaxed as to where it will become a distraction. Find a comfy chair at a table that is at about the height you would find right to eat on. Loosen any restrictive clothing, and take a quick stretch before sitting down. You will find that you read your best sitting straight up with your back touching the chair, and your feet flat on the ground.

Have a Purpose – In the same way that a life should not be lived without a purpose, a book should not be read without an intention or goal for the material. Reading with a reason is the key to understanding and remembering the material. When you know why you are reading, you will notice that your mind will hone in on certain details, and will store the material in a manner that allows for easy access. Sit down for a minute or so before you begin reading and decide why you are reading and what you hope to gain from this session. You will notice the results immediately.

Concentrate– We all have come to the end of a page and looked back up and had no idea what had happened in the past 30 or so lines. This can happen when you lose focus and let your mind wander. If you notice this happening, you may find it helpful to get up and stretch for a minute or so, or to sit back and remind yourself why you are reading. Long study periods can create periods where you drift in and out of paying attention resulting in wasted study time and feeling the need to reread sections. Go in 20 or 30 minute study sessions with 5 or 10 minutes of breaking in between. Your brain can take in a lot more information than you would expect, so remember to break often and remove distractions, and you will never feel the need to reread again.

Most Importantly- Have Fun. Speed Reading should be enjoyed whether it is being used business or leisure. Don’t get stressed.